A prophet (Un prophète) is a French Prison movie based on a single character, Malik El Djebena, an arab in imprisoned at the age of 19, sentenced for 6 years. Illiterate, he tries to keep to himself, but is recruited by a gang of Corsican mobster prisoners who control a lot of the power, including the guards. He is forced to commit a murder of an arab, after which the arab haunts him in visions, a la’ Crime & Punishment.
The story is one of growth, as Malik rises through the ranks and makes a name for himself, both inside and outside the prison. Most of the movie in the first half is inside the prison, with Malik increasingly going outside to perform missions in the second half of the movie.
Well directed, there is not a wasted moment in The Prophet. If I have a complaint, it is only this; we don’t get to see much of Malik’s personality in the movie, rather, he doesn’t have one. We don’t see much change or emerging qualities in him; other than that of him being an opportunist. He is as much of a blank slate when he comes out of prison as he was when he entered. Okay, maybe not exactly the same but not much growth nonetheless.
It deals with themes of Racism (Arabs in France), loyalty, redemption, and crime. It is, first and primely, a crime/prison movie, but shot very differently, and feels very original in its outlook.
It won a lot of awards(deservedly so), and is one of the best movies of 2009.
A Must-watch.
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